Ground Wires and Abundance
A word on how Jesus wants you to live a full life
You might have noticed things have been a bit quieter from me here on Substack lately. Life, in its beautifully ordinary way, has been full. My wife and I have discovered the joys (and muscle aches) of cycling – I’m now surprisingly knowledgeable about the local used bike market, thanks to my good friend Ben. After a few minor fixes, my bike’s become a trusty steed on the roads of southwest Missouri. Watch out.
There’s also been the satisfying rhythm of mowing grass that grows faster than I can cut it. And just recently, my dad and I installed new outdoor garage lights at my house. I treasure any chance I get to soak up the wisdom from his time as an electrician. Ground wires are important, my friends– more on that in a bit.
Career-wise, it’s been a season of stepping into new challenges that have required a little extra mental energy. So, writing has naturally taken a bit of a back seat.
But it’s more than just being busy. If I’m honest, I haven’t felt like I had any earth-shattering revelations or "huge God things" to write about. It’s mostly been… life. Praying. Working. Reading. Trying to live into the Lord's leading. And you know what? I think there’s a beauty in those seasons, a gentle grace for which I’m deeply thankful.
It’s in this season of quiet, everyday life that a conviction has taken root in my heart. God doesn’t just want us to "get by." He’s also not interested in us existing as productivity and innovation machines. He invites us to truly live. To breathe deep, to notice the scent of freshly cut grass, to appreciate good craftsmanship, and to genuinely enjoy the goodness of the world He continually shapes and sustains. He desires for us to experience a full, abundant life.
For me, it seems that Jesus has been using those everyday moments to teach me something about the ground wire of the soul.
To put it plainly, the ground wire is a safety feature. It provides a secure path for any stray or dangerous electrical current to be channeled safely into the earth, protecting everything connected from shocks, surges, and potential disasters. It makes sure electricity can do its intended work powerfully and safely, rather than becoming something destructive.
This makes me think of what Jesus says in John 10:10: "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." That “life to the full” part isn't only a future promise, though it certainly includes our eternal hope. It’s about experiencing the richness and security of His Kingdom now, this side of eternity. I can’t help but see our Lord as the ultimate ground wire for our souls. He takes the stray currents of sin, fear, anxiety, and all the destructive forces the thief throws our way, and safely neutralizes their power over us.
He saves us from something and He grounds us for something – for that abundant, full life, lived in security and peace, free from the ultimate shock of sin and death. We are now protected from the enemy’s attempts to short-circuit our joy and our purpose.
Many scholars believe that when Jesus spoke of this abundant life, His listeners would have immediately recalled the imagery used by the prophet Ezekiel. Ezekiel 34 paints a picture of God as the Shepherd who rescues His scattered sheep, brings them into good pasture, and makes a covenant of peace with them.
As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land. And I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the ravines, and in all the inhabited places of the country. I will feed them with good pasture, and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing land. There they shall lie down in good grazing land, and on rich pasture they shall feed on the mountains of Israel. I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord GOD.
Ezekiel 34:12-15 ESV
I will make with them a covenant of peace and banish wild beasts from the land, so that they may dwell securely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods. And I will make them and the places all around my hill a blessing, and I will send down the showers in their season; they shall be showers of blessing. And the trees of the field shall yield their fruit, and the earth shall yield its increase, and they shall be secure in their land. And they shall know that I am the LORD, when I break the bars of their yoke, and deliver them from the hand of those who enslaved them. They shall no more be a prey to the nations, nor shall the beasts of the land devour them. They shall dwell securely, and none shall make them afraid. And I will provide for them renowned plantations so that they shall no more be consumed with hunger in the land, and no longer suffer the reproach of the nations. And they shall know that I am the LORD their God with them, and that they, the house of Israel, are my people, declares the Lord GOD. And you are my sheep, human sheep of my pasture, and I am your God, declares the Lord GOD.
Ezekiel 34:25-31 ESV
Think about those promises: Dwelling in security. Showers of blessing. Trees yielding fruit. Broken yokes. Deliverance from oppression. No more fear. This is what the landscape of the abundant life is like. This is the good grazing land where He, our Good Shepherd, our spiritual ground wire, makes us lie down in safety.
So, friends, I hope these words settle in our hearts today. On a day like today, many of us have a bit more space to breathe and reflect, so may we embrace the truth that life with Jesus isn't about a future, far-off rescue. It's about a present reality. He is our Good Shepherd, the one who not only leads us to eternal pastures but also provides security and abundance for the journey, right now.
And speaking of living that life, that’s partly why you haven’t heard from me as frequently. I’ve never wanted Made for Monday to be built around an imaginary posting schedule or writing for the sake of writing. It does pain me a tad when Monday rolls around and I don’t have something fresh, but I’m learning that sometimes, to receive a word of encouragement worth sharing, you have to truly live some life first. To get your hands dirty. To have those experiences where God meets you in the ordinary and the unexpected. That’s been my focus lately, and I believe it leads to writing that has more depth and authenticity, which is the kind I want to offer you.
So, while the rhythm might not be weekly for a season, please know that when I do share, it’s because I believe the Lord has genuinely given something to encourage. And on that note, some exciting things are brewing behind the scenes that I can’t wait to share with you when the time is right.
Until next time,
May the Lord bless the work of your hands, guide the thoughts of your mind, and complete His own work in the deepest part of your heart.